On June 21, 2016 local time, President Xi Jinping arrived in Bukhara, starting his state visit to the Republic of Uzbekistan. He will also attend the 16th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tashkent.

At around 4:40 p.m. local time, Xi Jinping's special plane arrived at the Bukhara International Airport. Xi Jinping and his wife Mme. Peng Liyuan were warmly greeted by Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoev and Governor of Bukhara Province Muhiddin Esanov of Uzbekistan and others at the airport. Honorary guards lined up on both sides of the red carpet.

Xi Jinping extended sincere greetings and best wishes to the Uzbek people. Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Uzbekistan enjoy traditional and long-standing friendship. Peoples of the two countries jointly opened the great Silk Road more than 2,000 years ago, initiating the history of China-Uzbekistan friendly exchanges and mutual learning. Currently, the two sides are comprehensively deepening cooperation within the framework of the joint-construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative, yielding fruitful results. I'm looking forward to exchanging views with President Islam Karimov on elevating bilateral relations and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas, thus jointly drawing up the beautiful blueprint for China-Uzbekistan relations and building a community of shared interest and destiny between the two countries. Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to attending the SCO summit on its 15th anniversary, so as to jointly look back at the historic course of the organization with all sides, sum up cooperation achievements, carry forward the "Shanghai Spirit", and chart the course for the future of the organization.

Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and other delegation members arrived on the same plane.

H.E. Sun Lijie, Chinese Ambassador to Uzbekistan also greeted them at the airport.

Built in the 1st century B.C., Bukhara is the third largest city of Uzbekistan. The city has served as a center of business, religion, architecture, science and technology as well as literature and art on the ancient Silk Road in the Central Asian area since ancient times.

Xi Jinping arrived in Uzbekistan after concluding his state visit to Poland. When leaving Poland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Mateusz Morawiecki and Chief of the Chancellery of the President Malgorzata Sadurska of Poland as well as others saw him off at the airport.